IFPA Statement on Comments to NOSB Fall Agenda

October 1, 2026

The following statement is attributable to Sara Neagu-Reed, IFPA Director of Production & Environmental Policy regarding the association’s comments to the United States Department of Agriculture National Organics Standards Board Fall Agenda.

“IFPA’s advocacy before USDA’s National Organic Standards Board is shaped by direct input from the growers and supply-chain leaders serving on the IFPA Organic Committee. Our members support strong organic integrity, innovation and consumer confidence—and urge the Board to ensure its decisions are science-based, practical and responsive to the realities of specialty crop production.” Among IFPA’s key concerns and asks in its comments are:

Protect food safety: Avoid livestock-integration policies that could increase contamination risks or shift food-safety oversight to organic certifiers without the necessary expertise. Conduct additional research and stakeholder engagement before advancing changes.
Keep seed requirements workable: Preserve flexibility when organic seed is unavailable and avoid burdensome reporting requirements that do not reflect the complexity of specialty crop operations. Clearly define responsibilities for growers, handlers and certifiers.
Define risk before expanding residue testing: Establish clear, consistent criteria for risk-based sampling and use existing USDA, FDA and EPA expertise and infrastructure rather than creating duplicative systems or costs.
Preserve essential organic tools: Maintain access to critical production and sanitation materials, including chlorine materials, ozone gas, peracetic acid, magnesium oxide and EPA List 3 inerts, while supporting further research on chitosan.
Support innovation: Maintain flexibility for organic seed breeding and variety development, and continue engaging growers before restricting currently available practices.

“IFPA will continue bringing our members’ practical expertise to the table so organic policy protects consumers, supports growers and strengthens the long-term vitality of the organic fresh produce supply chain.”

IFPA Statement on Comments to NOSB Fall Agenda

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